The Reality of Middle Earth
by Ravin Halfelf
Summary: Elena has always been a huge fan of Tolkien's works. One day, after going out into the woods behind her house , she is somehow whisked away to Middle Earth, where she will encounter things, places, and people she thought were just made up. Will, she find a way back home? And more importantly, will she survive? Set after the ring is destroyed.
1. Chapter 1

AN: So this is my first fanfiction, so please don't hate on me too much. I appreciate reviews telling me any mistakes I have so I can make appropriate corrections, but please be nice about it;). Thank you so much for reading, and any ideas or requests for as what is to happen are welcome!

"Mom, I'm going to be outside for a while, ok?" Elena said as she gathered up her backpack and sword. Ever since moving to the country her favorite thing to do was to pack a lunch and hike around in the woods behind her house and sit for a while reading. She always brought her Sting replica though just in case there was an emergency (she had after all several years' experience in fencing lessons) and it just felt really cool to be carrying around a real sword just like Bilbo did on his "Unexpected Journey".

"How long will you be gone?" her mom asked.

"I don't really know. I was thinking I'd just take a walk and explore around the canyon. But don't worry, I am bringing Sting so I don't have to worry about 'bad guys' and 'vicious animals' attacking me!"

"Ok, but bring a walkie talkie just in case you get hurt. I read a newspaper article not too long ago saying that there have been bear sightings in the area."

"K thanks! See you later!" Elena ran out the door with Sting strapped to her waist, her pack on her back and her army-style boots crunching the oak leaves. She started down the trail that led to the bottom of the canyon and to the river, but after about half a mile she turned off and started making her own tracks. She saw a few deer trails, but ignored them because she had already been down most of them. After about 10 minutes of walking she found a large oak with a natural seat in the branches. She sat down and took out _Rangers Apprentice: the Burning Bridge._

After reading for about 2 hours and eating her sandwich, apple, and granola bar, she noticed a strange noise a hundred or so feet away from her. It sounded like a large animal was scrounging around in the bushes. She quickly put her book and trash in her backpack and slowly went over to investigate, Sting in hand. When she was about 10 feet away she paused trying to see what it was. All she could see was the faint outline of a large brown-furred animal. Thinking it was a bear, she slowly started to back away, but it was too late.

The animal started to grunt, then ran out of the bushes. Barely thinking, Elena ran, but it pounced on her, biting her lower left arm. As it jumped on her though, she managed to stab its foreleg so it leaped away almost as soon as it had bitten her. She then jabbed Sting into its chest, finishing it off.

As soon as it was dead, she took a good look at it and nearly fainted. _No, it's not possible. I must be going crazy._ It was a Warg. _These things are fictional. How could there be a real Warg? Unless… _She had only read about it. It was just in stories. But here was evidence right in front of her. It couldn't be in her imagination because her arm was truly throbbing and bleeding. She was in Middle Earth. Well, either that or Tolkien hadn't made up these creatures, but that was impossible. Then again so was being teleported to Middle Earth. But what else could it be? She decided to explore around a bit to try and figure out where she was, but first she had to do something about her arm. It was bleeding pretty bad now and she had four deep tooth marks that stung terribly. She tightly wrapped it up in a tank top she was wearing under her t-shirt, which didn't work too well but it would have to do until she found someone with bandages.

After looking around a bit she realized the forest she was in looked exactly like the one behind her house. She thought back to the Lord of the Rings movies and the new Hobbit movie, trying to figure out where she was. _There were lots of oaks near the shire, so I'm probably on the West side of the Misty Mountains. Maybe I'm near Bree? _Elena wandered around for a while, until she came across a familiar sight. A little ways ahead of her was a huge boulder, but it was cracked straight down the middle. _As if by a staff…_ She ran over to it, praying that it was the rock she thought it was. Sure enough, on the other side were three enormous stone trolls. They were much more crumbled and worn than in _The Fellowship of the Ring_, but none the less they were the same figures. Picturing the Middle Earth map in her head, Elena realized she was just a little ways north-west from the ford leading to Rivendell.

Now knowing where she was, she looked up to where the sun was near setting, then headed in the right direction. _I can't believe this happened to me,_ she thought. But after thinking for a moment, even though it sounded crazy, she realized she was almost glad it had happened. She could have done without the attacking Warg and getting her arm nearly bitten off, but glad none the less. She was going on an adventure.

AN: So, how was it? Sorry for the super cheesy beginning and end, I am not the best with those but once the story is going I do much better (at least I think so). Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing my story! I am so excited to be getting feedback.

Review responses:

Will zona: thank you so much! I will be combining both information from the books and the movies, as I am a huge fan of both, but I will be keeping to the books mostly because they include much more detail about after the war.

Mandyrin: thanks a ton, and also as for the part about her arm, sorry it didn't seem like she noticed it right away. It just seemed like a while before she noticed because it takes a lot of space to write what she is thinking even though it really happened within a few moments. Thanks for pointing that out! I love it when people notice things I didn't so I can acknowledge them.

Anyway, sorry for the long AU, here's the next chapter!

After walking towards where she thought the road was for about fifteen minutes, Elena decided to stop for the night. She was feeling especially tired after the excitement from earlier, plus she was starting to lose a lot of blood. Her stomach grumbled as she started gathering wood to make a fire. _I've got to find some food, _she thought. The only thing she could think of to eat was some kind of meat, like a rabbit or something. The thought occurred to her that she should have taken some of the Warg, but it quickly passed as that would be almost as disgusting as eating an orc. _Then I would be equal to Gollum, _she thought with a chill.

Once she had piled up enough wood, she came across the problem of lighting it. She couldn't rub sticks together with only one hand, and the sun was just about gone so forget her magnifying glass. Staring at the ground in frustration, she noticed a sharp-looking stone. Picking it up, she realized it was quartz. She grabbed her sword and knelt by the wood pile. _Please let this work._ She grasped Sting between her knees and started striking it with the rock. After a few tries, she finally managed to get a few sparks, but missed the kindling. Adjusting the angle, she struck it a few more times, and finally got it to light. Blowing on it gently, she got a small blaze going, which soon lit the thin pieces of wood. _Yes!_ _I've got to remember this trick. And keep this rock._

When Elena was sure the fire was going strongly, she looked through her backpack, trying to find anything that might be useful. Digging down, she triumphantly found a squashed granola bar that must have been in there for weeks. _Good thing I haven't cleaned out my backpack recently!_ She slowly ate the bar, savoring each bite, even in its squashed state. It didn't do much to relieve her hunger, but it was better than nothing. She did take her shoelaces though and set a couple of snares out a ways from her campsite so she would hopefully have something for breakfast.

After checking her arm, only to discover it had stopped bleeding but was quite swollen, she did her best to make herself comfortable and settled down to rest. She didn't think she would get any sleep, since her arm hurt terribly and she had to keep the fire going, but she thought she could at least doze a little. Before she knew it she was asleep.

She was startled awake a couple of hours later by a noise not far into the woods. _It better not be another Warg, _she thought as she picked up Sting and stood up, her injured arm clutched to her side. Suddenly a voice spoke up.

"Don't be afraid, I'm a friend!" It sounded like a young man, but she still wasn't sure it was safe. After all, she had no idea what year she was in compared to the story she knew and loved. She didn't know if there was peace or not, and it was impossible to tell if he was friend or foe no matter what he said.

A shape slowly emerged into the light to reveal what looked like a ranger. Well, Elena didn't really know what normal attire for a ranger to wear was, but this man was wearing an outfit that looked similar to the one Aragorn wore in the movies.

"Who are you?" She asked, brandishing Sting straight at him.

"Perhaps I should be asking you that, as you do not seem to be from anywhere near here if your accent and clothing can be of any accurate indication. But in answer to your question, my name is Eldarion, son of Aragorn."

AN: So how was it? Sorry it is so short but I really wanted to end at that part;). Please review; like I said it really helps me improve if you point out any mistakes or faults in description. Also I love knowing what you want so I can make it more enjoyable for you to read! Also, sorry about forgetting the disclaimer last time; this is after all my first story so I'm not used to it yet. Until next time!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any information from other books from J. R. R. Tolkien. I do not own any of the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies made by Peter Jackson. In regards to the first chapter, I do not own John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Hey! Thanks again so much for reading; I am so stoked to have gotten 105 views! It makes me so happy to know people are reading my story.

Review replies:

Will zona: Yes I did know that! Thanks for the website recommendations; I actually use the wiki website a lot for references when looking up information! I will know to use Tolkien gateway too now:).

Borys68: Thanks for picking up the fact that Elena wouldn't know Westron, but it would have been a bit confusing if she went there and couldn't communicate with anyone. Also Eldarion isn't just wandering around as you will find out in the chapter after this. Thank you so much for reviewing!

Anyway, here's chapter 3.

"Wait, you're Aragorn's son?" Elena asked. How is that possible? This man must be at least 17 or 18, so that would mean at least 15 years since the War of the Ring ended!

"Yes, but you still haven't answered my question as to who you are."

"Oh, my apologies." She suddenly realized how disrespectful she must have sounded, as she was a stranger talking to a prince about his father, the King, as if they were just ordinary people.

"My name is Elena McKinley. You are right in that I am not from here. I'm from, well, a land far in the West. I don't really know how I came to be in this place, but now I am trying to get to Rivendell so I can get some help from the elves. You see, I was attacked by a Warg and I am in need of medical attention." Elena was doing her best not to sound too foreign, as that would probably make Eldarion suspicious, but despite her 'proper' words she still wasn't very good at mimicking the accent he had.

"Oh, I see. Well, if you wish I can escort you to Rivendell, although I don't think you will find what you were expecting. You see I have just come from there and I can assure you that there aren't any elves left. The final party of them left more than 13 years ago."

_What? But… _Of course. All the elves were leaving to the Grey Havens in _The Lord of the Rings_, so obviously there wouldn't be any in Rivendell. Suddenly the thought of an adventure here didn't sound quite as pleasant. With no elves, it wouldn't be nearly as exciting.

Seeing her dejected look, Eldarion quickly added to his offer. "Well, if it helps at all, the 'Last Homely House' still looks just as homely. There may not be anyone to welcome us but the gardens and waterfalls still sparkle in the morning light. And after you have recovered enough, we can travel on to the Shire together if that is where you wish to go. There are plenty of merry hobbits there that will make you feel most welcome."

_The Shire won't be the same without Bilbo or Frodo, but at least the others will be there._ "That sounds wonderful. Thank you so much for assisting me and for going out of your way. Do you by any chance have any bandages though? My arm doesn't seem to be doing so well in the makeshift wrappings I had to use." Embarrassed yet giddy at the thought of the son of Aragorn tending to her, Elena anxiously looked to see how he would respond.

"Of course. I always keep bandages with me in case of emergencies. May I?" Eldarion gently took her arm and unwrapped it. The swelling had gotten worse than when Elena had last checked it, and there was a bit of puss coming out now. Noticing the infection, the prince took out a few dried herbs along with the bandages and after crumbling them up and mixing them with a bit of water from his pouch, he rewrapped her arm with the herbs up against the wound. It certainly still hurt a lot, but it did feel better now that it had a proper bandage rather than the tank top she was using before.

"What did you put on it?" Elena asked, referring to the herb.

"_Nakamlug_. It will help with the infection. It won't take out whatever is causing the infection though so we will have to clean it when we get to Rivendell. It won't feel too good but it is necessary."

"Whatever it takes to get it to heal. I'm not used to being this immobile and it is pretty hard to do things with one hand."

"Good. Well, we may as well wait here for the remainder of the night and get some rest. It will take a few hours to get to Rivendell on foot so it is probably best to start in the morning."

"Alright." Elena walked back over to where she had been lying down earlier, and then motioned to the open space on the other side of the fire. "You can sleep there if you want. I can take the first watch since I have already had a few hours' sleep, and I'll wake you when the moon is above that boulder over there."

"Thank you. I am quite tired as I haven't slept since early this morning, and have been walking all day."

With that Eldarion laid out the cloak he was wearing and fell asleep on top. After putting a couple more logs on the fire, Elena sat down and stared into the fire. She couldn't believe what happened to her. After the initial rush and excitement of survival and now discovering Aragorn's son, for the first time she actually had time to think about what happened. Since the woods near her house looked just like the ones here, she had no way of knowing when exactly she came here. It dawned on her that all that time she spent reading she was already in Middle Earth. As a thought came to her, she quietly crawled over to her backpack. Seeing that Eldarion was fast asleep, she reached in and pulled out the walkie talkie that her mother had given her.

"Mom?" She spoke into the microphone. "Mom, are you there?" after waiting a few minutes she realized that there was no connection. It was worth a try though. She wondered if it was like Narnia when no time passed in the other world. She certainly hoped so, because her mom would be going frantic if she had been gone as long as she was here. Suddenly it struck her that because she had no idea when or where she had entered Middle Earth, she didn't know at all how she was going to get back. _I suppose that problem will have to be solved when I am ready to go back. In the meanwhile, I will have to enjoy my time here. _On that note, she leaned against a tree and looked up at the stars and thought about what would happen to her until the moon was low enough to wake Eldarion. After doing so, she promptly fell asleep for the remainder of the night.

AN: So, was it any good? Sorry if it wasn't; I'm not very good at making up conversations so it might have seemed weird. By the way, the elvish herb Eldarion used is actually snapdragon, which does have antibacterial properties in the leaves and petals. Also, as for the elvish word itself, I couldn't find the word for 'snap' so I used the one for 'bite' instead. Sorry about that. Anyway, thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any information from other books from J. R. R. Tolkien. I do not own any of the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies made by Peter Jackson. I also do not own C. S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series, which were sort of mentioned in this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Ok, here's the next chapter! Thank you guys so much for all the reviews, favorites and follows! It makes me so happy.

Review responses:

Will zona: Thanks again! That sounds like a great story idea, although maybe you should consider writing it yourself, since it was your idea! Plus I have never read/watched Percy Jackson, so I don't know much about it. Thanks for the idea though!

Borys68: I started to read "Don't Panic!" and it seems like a very good story, but as this is my first fanfic I didn't want to make things too complicated. I apologize for getting the Rivendell thing wrong, but you have to cut me some slack since I am a rather new Tolkien fan. In fact, the first time I ever read the books/watched the movies was just last winter in preparation for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey". So although I may be learning all I can as fast as I can, I still haven't had enough time to learn everything, including that which is in the appendixes. I have only started reading appendix A, so I still have a while to go. Thanks for telling me though!

As for the rest of the reviews, thank you all so much for telling me how much you love my story! Also just so you know I try to update every day, or at least every school day, but sometimes I get too busy (especially on weekends).

Anyway, here's chapter 4!

The next morning Elena woke to see Eldarion stirring something in a small pot over the fire. It smelled like stew, which sounded like the most delicious breakfast ever to Elena, who hadn't eaten a real meal since the pack lunch from yesterday.

"What's in the stew?" She asked when he noticed she was awake.

"Rabbit, mushrooms, wild onions, and a few seasonings I keep with me for flavor. My father says I take after an old hobbit friend of his who would always have salt and a frying pan with him wherever he traveled."

_He must be talking about Sam. Boy it will be awesome to meet him._ "It sounds delicious. When do you think it will be ready?"

"You can have some now if you want. It has just been simmering for a while to keep it hot and to bring out the flavor. I already ate earlier."

Elena grabbed a tin cup that was sitting near Eldarion's supplies, and then filled it with the steaming stew. She knew she had to eat it slow since it was hot and it wasn't good for her stomach after being empty for so long, but it was a challenge not to gulp it down. Seeing how hungry she was, Eldarion offered her more, which she gladly accepted. She finally felt better after four heaping cups.

"Shall we get going?" Eldarion said as he began gathering up his things. "We can wash the pot and cup at the river we will cross in an hour or so. Also we can refill our water bags there."

Elena threw a bunch of dirt on the fire, and then put her sweatshirt in her backpack. Then they set off in the general direction of the sun, which was barely starting to peek over the mountains in the distance. After walking in silence for a few minutes, Elena thought she should say something.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you doing here so far from Gondor? I mean, shouldn't you be in the country your father rules?"

"I'm here to deliver a message to all the people on this side of the Misty Mountains. You see, war is coming after such a long time of peace. New forces are rising up and building an army inside Mordor, although the exact amount of the threat is still to be discovered. All we know so far is that the remaining orcs have multiplied again, and that they are forming an allegiance with something we never thought to see again. You see, when Frodo and Samwise, who were the hobbits sent to destroy the Ring, returned after the war ended, they told my father and his companions the story of how the creature Gollum had led them up the staircase of Cirith Ungol and through the cave of Shelob. Sam told them that he had stabbed Shelob and she had crawled back into her dank hole to die. But now it seems that she didn't perish immediately, and that before she died she managed to lay hundreds of eggs in the furthest corners of her lair, far out of sight of any being that might come through her tunnels. Now, rumor has it that those eggs have hatched and that her offspring has joined the orcs for revenge of both Sauron and Shelob. As I said, we don't know for certain how much of a threat this will be since they haven't shown themselves in full force, but just in case this proves to be too big for us to control, I was sent to warn the people of Bree and the hobbits of the Shire, and they would pass the message on to everyone in Eriador. It also gave me an opportunity to see how Sam, Merry, and Pippin are doing, who are the three hobbits remaining from the Fellowship my father was a part of. "

"Wow, that's a lot to take in." Elena realized just how dangerous the times were when she got here and wished she could have come at a more peaceful time. "What about the other countries to the East of the Misty Mountains? Are they going to help Gondor?"

"Rohan has agreed to help if the need arises, as well as the remaining elves in Mirkwood. We hadn't yet heard a response from the Dwarves living in Erebor when I left, but even if they agree to join us I'm afraid they won't be a great help since most of their kind have left north to the Grey Mountains to live in their impregnable caverns and there remains only a few hundred dwarves in Erebor."

Hearing the news that there were still some elves left in Mirkwood made Elena happy, but she was still terrified of the fact that she could end up right in the middle of a war. _This definitely isn't anything like I expected it would be._

AN: Ok! How did you like it? Leave a review please! Oh, and sorry if I got the reference to Eriador wrong, it just looked like that is what the land to the west of the Misty mountains was called on the map and I didn't know who else lived over there besides the hobbits and the people in Bree. Anyway, thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any information from other books from J. R. R. Tolkien. I do not own any of the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies made by Peter Jackson.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Hey again! Sorry this took longer than normal, I was pretty busy yesterday. Thank you all so much for reading and sticking with me!

Anyway, here's chapter 5.

After walking for a few more hours, Elena and Eldarion arrived in Rivendell at about noon. It saddened Elena to see for herself how empty it was, but it was still a thrill to be in the place she had only read about or watched in the movies. They walked across the stone bridge, and then went up to the main building. When they got outside, Eldarion explained to her that he was going to get some water from the creek and some new bandages from the supply area and some food (before leaving the elves made sure there was still plenty of the necessary things passing travelers might need to make them still feel welcome).

Meanwhile, Elena wandered around the familiar-yet-foreign house, exploring the place she had always wished to see. Wandering down a hallway, she passed a few bedrooms and a couple terraces before coming to the semi-outdoor area where Isuldur's sword used to lie in fragments. She walked up to the statue just like Boromir did so long ago, and then turned and studied the painting of the war with Sauron. Looking at the painting closely, she realized just how detailed it was. The colors blended together perfectly, and the dark portrayal of Sauron was incredible. She couldn't believe how one could take something so dark and black and paint it with such depth and variation in color.

While she was lost in the depths of the war, Eldarion walked up behind her carrying the things he had gone to get.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked, slightly startling Elena.

"Oh, yes. It must have been awful to live in such times. But in the end, good conquered evil and Sauron is gone. Some of his followers may still remain, but the ultimate threat has perished hopefully forever. I really hope this coming war will not be too serious."

"As do I. But however big it is we must have faith that we will defeat them in the end. When these coming hostilities are over, we should be rewarded with many years of peace."

_That is if we live through this thing._ "Now, if you don't mind, I should probably get started with your arm," Eldarion said. "It can be quite dangerous if it gets much worse, and the infection could spread to your whole body."

"Alright, but we should probably move to a more comfortable place where we can at least sit down." Elena definitely wasn't looking forward to the pain of cleaning her wound, but she knew that if it remained the way it was, she could lose the arm.

They walked back to one of the bedrooms, picking one with a beautiful view of the surrounding valley and the cascading waterfalls that poured into the river at the bottom. Elena sat in a chair at the small table in the room, and Eldarion set up the supplies. First he unwrapped the bandages, which were a bit bloody and dirty looking. Then, using a soft cloth, he began scrubbing the tooth marks. Elena yelped and hissed quite a bit during this part, but every time Eldarion paused with concern she told him she was alright. Finally, he was satisfied that it was clean. Next he took some more herbs and mixed them with a little water to create a thick paste. He then covered her forearm with it and wrapped it tightly with a fresh bandage.

"That wasn't so bad," Elena said with a sheepish smile. It definitely hurt a ton, in fact far more than she had expected, but it was over now and it felt much better without the bacteria making it constantly sting.

"Well, unfortunately it won't be the last time. I'll have to clean it every day until all signs of infection have gone away."

_Great. I guess he will have to get used to my shrieking._ "If you say so."

After gathering up the supplies and putting them on a small shelf that was hanging on the wall, they went outside to eat a late lunch, and then Eldarion showed her around until dinner time. Elena especially enjoyed seeing the places shown in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, such as the gazebo that Elrond, Galadriel, Saruman and Gandalf had been in for their council discussing the Necromancer, or the patio that Frodo had been on when he first saw Bilbo after he had left the Shire.

The next few days were like a dream to Elena: extremely enjoyable but difficult to remember the details. She spent most of her time exploring the libraries or learning the different alphabets of the dwarves and men with the help of Eldarion. She had already learned Quenya in the real world, so the books she read were mainly the ones in Elvish. She definitely wasn't fluent in the language though so it took her a while to translate the pages and she sometimes needed help with certain letters or words.

The worst part of her days were definitely when Eldarion had to clean her arm, but after 4 days he decided the infection was gone. Once that was announced, they gathered everything they would need for the trip to the Shire, then left the following day. Elena was sad to leave, but she knew that there were plenty of adventures to come.

AN: So this chapter definitely didn't seem to me like my best work, but it'll have to do. I really don't know what people do in Rivendell besides have feasts with the elves, but obviously they couldn't do that since the elves were gone so I had to improvise. Hopefully this wasn't too cheesy. Well, thanks for reading! Oh, and I might not be able to update for a few days besides maybe Friday because on Saturday I will be gone all day at a dance competition and I usually can't go on the computer on Sundays. But I should be able to get one out on Monday for sure. Anyway, until next time!

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any information from other books from J. R. R. Tolkien. I do not own any of the Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies made by Peter Jackson.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hey! Sorry it took so long for me to update; like I said I was really busy the last few days. Anyway, here's chapter 6!

After eating breakfast and checking around for any last things they might need, Elena and Eldarion started off towards Bree. Elena's arm was feeling much better, and it was healing quite nicely. Just in case though, they brought a good supply of bandages and herbs so if it was still infected or opened up again they wouldn't be at a loss for supplies.

The journey started out mostly in silence, but there was an occasional comment from either one of them about various things. When they stopped for lunch, which happened to be relatively close to where they first met, a real conversation finally started.

"So, tell me more about where you come from." Eldarion started. "I am very curious about where exactly it is, and what sort of country it is."

This immediately made Elena nervous and she couldn't answer for a few moments because she had no idea what to say. She recovered quickly enough to answer though before the silence seemed unusual.

"Well, like I said, it is very far in the West. To get there, one must travel across the sea for a few weeks, and then travel across a huge continent until you have nearly arrived at the other end of it. That land journey would take months on horseback, and even longer walking. Finally, you would arrive at my homeland. It looks relatively similar to this place, with lots of trees and mountains, but there are much more people and not nearly as much wilderness. We do very different things there, such as how we work and how we travel. It is extremely complicated, but some basic examples are that we have wagons that don't need horses or oxen to be pulled, ways to communicate over far distances other than a messenger, and other things you wouldn't even be able to imagine."

That is basically how they spent the rest of the day; with Elena talking about her world and Eldarion listening with extreme interest. He was especially interested in airplanes, which was particularly difficult for Elena to explain, but even with the little explanation she could give Eldarion was fascinated by the idea of people flying. One of the main things he really didn't understand though was that the only intelligent race was humans. It was extremely hard for him to imagine elves, dwarves, hobbits, orcs, and all other creatures that were in his world equal if not more intelligent than humans didn't exist and never did where Elena came from.

"Wait, if there aren't any elves, dwarves, wargs, or anything else like that in your country, how did you know it was a warg that attacked you?"

Elena knew that explaining how her world was would eventually backfire on her, and knew she was on dangerous ground now.

"Well, the creatures don't exist, but we do have stories about them. Most people just think they were made up though, not that they are actual creatures in a different world."

"What about your sword? It looks just like the elvish one that Frodo is holding in a painting of the Fellowship of the Ring in Minas Terith, but if you don't have elves in your country how could you have an elvish sword?"

_Why must he be so curious about these kinds of things?_ "Um, one of the stories we have explains what elvish swords look like, and some people copied the design for anyone who liked the elvish style. They aren't as good as a real elvish sword though, because it isn't as sturdy and it doesn't glow blue when orcs are around." It was the best explanation she could come up with without revealing the fact that there were tons of books and movies and websites and collectables all devoted to the story of Middle Earth.

"Oh, that explains why it isn't glowing now." He whispered while putting his finger to his lips and gesturing over his shoulder. Elena immediately got the meaning and slowly pulled Sting over to her side and got ready to pull it out of its sheath at Eldarion's signal. Suddenly he whipped out his own sword and spun around towards the quiet rustling Elena had just started hearing on the other side of the path. As he shot towards the noise she quickly unsheathed Sting, then jumped behind a tree in case whoever was spying on them had a bow. Hearing some scuffling in the brush that grew along the side of the road, she slowly peeked out from behind the wide trunk of the tree. Eldarion was wrestling to hold down a small orc, but when it pulled out a knife and was about to stab the prince, he had no choice but to kill it.

"It looks like a scout. It is poorly armed and seems to be alone, so it was probably sent from the mountains to spy on the people here. I noticed it following me a while back, but I didn't want to let on we knew it was there until I was sure it was an enemy. This is just another sign that we need to hurry to Bree and the Shire so we can warn them before it is too late. Killing this spy will slow the orcs down a bit, but it definitely won't do anything to stop them. We'd better go a bit further before stopping for the night, and try to get to Bree by tomorrow night. It is a pretty long way, but if we can make it to the Hoarwell River by tonight we should be able to make it."

They pressed on to the river and arrived there just after nightfall. The next day they had little conversation in their rush to get to Bree by that night.

After a long day of hard walking without even a break for lunch (they ate while walking), they finally arrived in Bree a couple hours after nightfall. They were welcomed into the Prancing Pony inn, which was as busy as ever even with the new caretaker. After a much appreciated meal of some fresh ham, cheese, bread, and ale (or tea in Elena's case), they settled in their rooms for a much needed rest.

AN: Well, that took a while to write. This chapter was mainly a filler so I wouldn't have to skip over their journey from Rivendell to Bree, although I did skip half of it. Sorry if it seems really dull and boring; it certainly seemed that way to me. That's why I tried to add a bit of excitement with the orc, but I don't think I did a very good job. Give me some feedback on what you think of this chapter compared to the previous ones. Anyway, until next time!


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Sorry I haven't been updating as frequently as I used to; I have been super busy lately with school, going places, etc. Anyway, thank you all for sticking with me and reviewing and following and all that wonderful stuff! It really makes me feel better when you complement my chapters, especially when I don't feel very confident about them. Anyway, here's chapter 7!

The next morning, after eating a huge breakfast at the inn, Elena and Eldarion set off to complete the last bit of their journey. They got to Hobbiton a couple hours after lunch. Elena was so thrilled to be here. It was definitely the best place she had been so far since Rivendell was uninhabited but Hobbiton and the rest of the Shire was still filled with the wonderful little hobbits going about their normal business.

As soon as it came into sight, Elena and Eldarion went straight to Bag End, which looked just like it did in the movies. They walked straight up to the little round door and knocked loudly. A lovely hobbit woman answered, and Elena recognized it to be Rosie, Sam's wife, although she did look a bit older than in the end of _The Return of the King_, but that was expected since this was fifteen years later.

"How can I help you?" She asked in a sweet voice that sounded used to visitors.

"We would like to speak to Mayor Samwise, and it is quite urgent," Eldarion said.

"Of course, I'll get him at once. But he may be curious as to who exactly you are."

"Oh! Please accept my apologies for not introducing myself sooner. I am Eldarion, son on King Aragorn of Gondor, and this is my traveling companion Elena McKinley."

"My goodness! I'll get him at once your highness." With that she rushed inside calling out for her husband, who must have been pretty deep in the hobbit-hole because it took a minute or two for him to come out.

As soon as he appeared Elena gave out a little squeal in her head. _It's Sam! It's really the famous Samwise Gamgee who went on the great quest to destroy the Ring, who received the elvish rope and the box of Lorien soil from Galadriel, who singlehandedly defeated the great spider Shelob! Well, almost defeated her anyway._

"Please come in, your highness, I'm sorry my wife left you on the porch, in her rush she must have forgotten to invite you inside. Would you like anything? Some tea or cakes perhaps? Or maybe some of Hobbiton's finest ale. There's a nice barrel that's been aging for quite some time now and would be quite delicious with the brown bread my Rosie's just finished baking."

"No thank you. We really must be getting on to the subject I came to talk to you about," Eldarion said. "But first, please don't mind the formalities. You can call me Eldarion. After all, my father says that you knew each other well back in the old days. I don't see why we shouldn't have a friendship too. Anyway, let's return to the subject at hand." Eldarion then explained the whole situation with the coming war, telling Sam that most likely there wouldn't be any trouble on this side of the mountains, but it was possible and that he should prepare the Shire in case something did get past soldiers of Gondor and Rohan. He also told Sam about the scout he had found, and that there was a possibility that there were orc armies gathering in Moria as well as Mordor. If that were the case though, the orcs would most likely stick to attacking Rohan on the East of the mountains, since there weren't many people on the west side. The hobbits should still expect some activity though, even if it was simply a few raids with small numbers of enemies. Sam said that he would inform Pippin immediately, who was now in charge of any military activity and was responsible for all weapons, defenses, and the recruitment of soldiers in case of conflict with any invaders.

When Pippin was mentioned, Elena blushed slightly, but thankfully no one was paying any attention to her. Like most fan girls, she had always had a slight crush on Pippin, especially because of his Scottish accent and his adorable naivety. Also since Sam looked exactly like Sean Austin, who played him in the movies, she was sure Pippin would still look the same as Billy Boyd, or a bit older at the least. It made her giddy to think about meeting him in person.

"I can't believe that if I could have just finished Shelob off, this whole situation wouldn't be caused," Sam said, breaking Elena from her daydreaming. "She was already so weakened, it wouldn't have been difficult, but I was too worried about Frodo to pay much attention to her once she was no longer a threat."

"Don't blame yourself," Eldarion replied. "Who knows, she might have already laid some of her eggs before you and Frodo passed through her cave. Or even if her offspring wasn't part of the war, the orcs might still have built an army for the revenge of Sauron. In any case, what is done is done, and there isn't anything we can do about it now except to defend ourselves and hopefully win and create a much more lasting peace than before."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but would you like some food? I've just finished with dinner and there is plenty to go around." Rosie was standing in the doorway, holding a platter piled with steaming rolls that she was about to put on the dining table.

"That sounds wonderful. Thank you very much." Eldarion replied. They all went into the dining room and sat down to a delicious meal of fried chicken, mashed potatoes (still one of Sam's favorites), and of course the rolls. They had a very merry evening, despite the foreboding circumstances, and had a wonderful night's sleep in the comforts of Bag End._ I wish I could live here forever, _Elena thought. But unfortunately they would have to leave much sooner than Elena would have liked.

AN: How was it? Please review and tell me your opinion! Also if you have any requests or suggestions as to how the story is going to go please tell me! It isn't guaranteed that I will use them but I still could use some help on how to fill in some gaps and stuff. So far I only know how the outcome of the story will be. Also if anyone has an idea of how she is going to get back home then please tell me because I still don't know. Anyway, until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Hi again! As usual, I am super thankful for all you guys for reading and taking interest in my story!

Review replies:

will zona: Thanks for all the support you've been giving me with each chapter! I hope it doesn't disappoint you though but Gandalf won't be in this story since it takes place after he leaves with Frodo, Bilbo, Galadriel, and Elrond to Valinor (that scene happens in the last chapter of the Return of the King, or in the last scene of the Return of the King (movie)). I want to stay as true to the story as I can, or at least to the best of my knowledge. I am considering including a certain brown wizard in later chapters though!

Anyway, here's chapter 8.

The next morning, after eating breakfast and meeting Sam and Rosie's children (they had eaten dinner the night before in their bedrooms so they wouldn't hear any talk about the war), Elena, Eldarion, and Samwise headed off towards Pippins house to tell him the news. He lived in a cozy smial down in Tuckburough, but it didn't take too long for them to get there. The door was opened by a small hobbit child who looked to be about nine years old, although it was difficult to tell with the small stature of hobbits.

"Hello. Would you like to speak with my mother or my father?" He asked.

"Your father please." Eldarion said. Elena remembered that Pippin had married a hobbit named Diamond six years after Frodo left, and had a son three years after that. _That must be Faramir._

A moment later Faramir returned with Pippin following him. He didn't look that much older than he did eighteen years ago, but he definitely was taller than the other hobbits Elena had seen. The ent-drought really had made a big difference. He was only about a foot shorter than Elena, whereas the other hobbits were at least two feet shorter.

"How can I be of service to you?" Pippin asked. He had a napkin tucked into his shirt and a few crumbs stuck to his chin. He must have been in the middle of second breakfast.

"Hey Pippin, this here is King Aragorn's son, Eldarion and his companion Elena. He has some distressing news that I'm sure he's very anxious to tell you." Sam had stepped forward from behind Eldarion and Elena and decided to take over the introductions.

"Well by all means come in. I wouldn't want to keep the Prince waiting!" They all went inside, and there was basically a repeat of what happened the night before. Eldarion explained the whole situation, Diamond offered them all snacks, and they ended up staying for an early lunch. After all was explained, Pippin declared he wanted to go back to Gondor with Eldarion and Elena.

"After all, I haven't seen old Strider…er, King Aragorn in several years. It will be good to be on the road again, and Sam here can take over my duties while I'm gone. There really isn't much to do besides maybe call in soldiers in case of an attack, which like Eldarion said, isn't very likely. Also Diamond knows how to do all my duties if there is a problem Sam can't handle."

"Well," said Eldarion, "If it is alright with Sam, I suppose you can come along. I'm sure my father will be very pleased to see you again."

"Sounds good to me," Sam said. "Just make sure you return safely. I'm not sure I'm capable of being both Mayor and Thain for too long of a time."

"Great! Um, when are we leaving?"

"As soon as we tell the Master of Buckland about what's going on, we can begin the return journey to Gondor." Eldarion said with a grin.

"Oh, good. I haven't seen old Merry for a week or so. And with any luck he'll come along too! That is as long as he can find a replacement for himself."

After Pippin had packed up the things he would need and said goodbye to his family, they all set off towards Brandywine Bridge, although Sam stayed behind. When they arrived in Buckland they went straight to Brandy Hall, where Merry lived. His wife Estella answered the door and said he was gone at the moment visiting a friend, but he would be back shortly. After waiting for about ten minutes, Merry returned. He was very happy to see them, and after listening to the story he decided to travel with them as well. He made arrangements for his cousin Berilac to take over his duties as Master of Buckland and packed his things. Then they all left down the road.

"Boy, it feels good to be on the road again," Pippin said, "Although I'll miss eating seven meals a day. I'm sure I will adjust to the meal shortage though, like I did last time."

"Adjust? If I remember correctly half the conversations you and I had were you telling me you were hungry." Merry replied. Elena quietly chuckled behind them. _This is so cool!_ _A real argument between Merry and Pippin!_

"That's not true! And even if it was I was simply trying to lighten up the mood."

"Oh, right," Merry replied sarcastically. "And I'm sure all those times you nearly got us all killed you were just trying to create some excitement."

Pippin mumbled something under his breath for that remark, but it was obvious neither of them meant what they were saying. They traveled on to Bree without any excitement and got there an hour or so after sunset. They all had a joyful dinner at the Prancing Pony, where many stories and memories were shared. They bunked down for the night after refilling their water sacs and making sure they were all prepared to get an early start in the morning.

AN: Sorry it was a bit shorter than my previous chapters. I didn't really know what else to write about and also I need to go eat lunch and wanted to finish. I hope Pippin and Merry weren't too OOC for you all, and if you have any tips for me on keeping them in character they are welcome! Anyway, that's all for now!


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